King's Covered Bridge

About

King's Covered Bridge crosses Laurel Hill Creek in Middlecreek Township, Somerset County, about a mile south of Barronvale Covered Bridge and just off PA 653 on McGuire Road. It is a Burr arch truss 127 ft 4 in long and about 12 ft wide. The road was moved to a modern bridge, and the covered bridge is closed to motor traffic.

History

The bridge is named for farmer John King, on whose land it was built. Its date is uncertain. The current structure is usually dated 1906, while signs and some listings give dates as early as 1802, which uncoveringpa.com calls highly unlikely. Vehicles used the bridge until 1934, when a new highway bypassed it. The King family took possession in the 1930s and maintained it at their own expense from 1934 to 1998. A restoration project followed, reusing salvageable original timber, and dalejtravis.com lists a rebuild in 2008. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Design

According to coveredbridges.net, the bridge began as a multiple kingpost truss and the arches appear to have been added later, giving it its present Burr arch form. It has an asbestos-covered gable roof and an unusual lattice layout of floor joists that can be seen from the creek banks.

Visiting

Take PA 653 west and turn south onto McGuire Road. The bridge is about 150 ft from the turn, on the west side of the road. There is a large parking area next to the bridge with signs on the history of the area. The bridge is closed to vehicles.

Sources: King's Covered Bridge (coveredbridges.net), Covered Bridges of Somerset County (Uncovering PA), King's 38-56-06 (dalejtravis.com)

Photo: Jet Lowe, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.